Build Your Own Dovetail Saw #1: - Introduction

I have posted a few saws on here lately and have been asked to put a blog together showing how I go about making them. This is an intro and overview of the method I am using, I’m sure there are many ways to do this but I will show what works for me.

I started getting interested in saws last year when I started cutting some of my joints by hand. I was using a Japanese pull saw as my go to saw but had issues with it tracking a line and the blade was very flimsy. I upgraded to a Veritas composite backsaw and was very happy with the it’s cutting speed and my control over the saw. Earlier this year I bought a Disston No. 4 at a garage sale, it was dull but I figured I could live with it. I was wrong…I couldn’t cut anything with it and was about to toss it out but decided to look into sharpening it. I found some videos online, rigged up my vise, and was ready to go. It took a few attempts but I finally got the teeth close to uniform and was able to make some smooth cuts. I bought more saws at garage sales and ended up with a nice collection of sharp saws that cut better than my Veritas.

Fast forward a little bit and I got it in my head to try building a saw from scratch. I did some reading and my biggest hang up was figuring out how to either fold or slot a back for the saw plate, I also wanted to do it with carbon fiber since I hadn’t seen it done before. I came came up with a way to slot my own backs using my drill press which I will show in my first post.

Since catching the saw building bug I have built 7 saws. I have learned a lot about what to do and what not to do, I have a nice scar across one of my fingers as a reminder. Here are a couple saws I have finished. I had to sell them to pay for the raw materials but now I have enough stuff for another 15 saws :)